Surname Thiel - Meaning and Origin
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Personal Identity through the Lens of Thiel: The Introspective Journey through My iGENEA DNA Test
My journey with the iGENEA DNA test has been enlightening at every turn, recounting the story of my ancestors through the lens of the surname Thiel and reshaping my perspective of personal identity.
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read moreThiel: What does the surname Thiel mean?
The last name Thiel is of German origin and is likely derived from the name Diet or Theodoric which are both Germanic names composed of the components “theud” meaning people and “ric” meaning ruler.
The spelling of the name was changed as successive generations moved throughout Europe, with the earliest known records being in the early 1500s in what is now Holland.
This name was most likely an occupational surname as Diet or Theodoric was a common title for a leader or ruler. The name could have been given to someone who was a temple, church or court official. It could also be derived from the Old German word “thiudisk” which means to lead people or an assembly of people.
The name Thiel is still very common in certain parts of Germany, especially in the area around Cologne. It’s also very popular in the Netherlands and among German-speaking communities in North America.
Overall, the surname Thiel implies a person of leadership ability and ambition. A Thiel is likely to be a hard working, reliable person who is very proud of their ancestral roots.
Order DNA origin analysisThiel: Where does the name Thiel come from?
The last name Thiel is most commonly found in Germany, with the highest concentrations concentrated in Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein and North-Rhine Westphalia. It is thought to originally have been an occupational name (from the German word ‘diel’ meaning axe), given to people who used axes in their profession. It appears in various spellings, such as Thiel, Thol and Thielen.
The surname Thiel is also common in Poland, where it is spelt Tyel or Tyelino. The prevalence of Polish immigrants in the United States has led to the surname Thiel appearing in various forms (Thiel, Theil, Teal, Thiels, and Thiele) across the country, particularly in Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio.
Thiel is also frequent in Austria and Switzerland, although the spelling differs slightly, with the surnames Tiehl, Tyel, Tiel and Tiell also found in these countries.
In addition, Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Denmark also have people with the last name Thiel. The name is often spelt as Thielen in Norway, while it is spelt as Thil in Denmark.
Overall, Thiel is a relatively uncommon surname, but it is quite widespread throughout Germany and other regions of Europe, including Scandinavia, Austria, Switzerland, and Poland. It is also increasingly common in the United States, as a result of immigration.
Variations of the surname Thiel
The surname Thiel has several variants and spellings. These names can be traced to different regions and countries in Europe and beyond.
In Germany, Thiel is the most common spelling, while Thiele is also seen in some parts of the country. In Dutch regions, the surname Thiel is spelt Thiël or Tiël. In Poland, the name is generally spelled as Ciel or Ceyl, which are the local variants of the German spelling.
In England the name is seen as Thill, Thil, Thiell or the Welsh variant Theely. In Scotland, the spelling Thiele and Tyley can be seen.
In the Scandinavian region, the name Thiel is spelt as Thyl, Thiell, Thijl or Thyle. In France, the variant Thiéle, Thiellier or Thiellieu can be seen.
In addition to the spelling variations seen for the surname Thiel, there a also several well-known variants of the name itself. These include Tiel, Teele, Teyl and Tielen.
The surname Thiel is also seen in different countries around the world. In countries like the United States, Mexico, Argentina and Chile there is a significant population with variants of the surname. In South Africa, the name Thiel is also found in some areas.
Most of these varied surname spellings and variants of the surname Thiel are actually from the same origin point, showing that families connected to the name have moved and spread out around the world.
Famous people with the name Thiel
- Peter Thiel: Peter is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, philanthropist, political activist, and author from Germany. He is the co-founder of PayPal and a major investor in Facebook.
- Christian Thiel: Christian is a German-Hungarian entrepreneur, investor, media entrepreneur, and co-founder of both the Rocket Internet startup accelerator and Zalando SE.
- Ingmar Thiel: Ingmar is a German actor, known for his work in the West German television series Tatort and Die drei !!!
- Paul-Anton von Thiel: Paul-Anton is a former German professional tennis player. He reached his career-high singles ranking of world No. 30 in March 1981.
- Aylin Thiel: Aylin is a German model, TV presenter, and fashion influencer.
- Klaus Thiel: Klaus is a German classical guitarist, professor, and concert musician.
- Franz Thiel: Franz was a German naturalist, zoologist, and entomologist.
- Günther Thiel: Günther is a former German footballer, coach, and manager.
- Katja Thiel: Katja is a German journalist, TV presenter, and author.
- Hans Georg Thiel: Hans is a German computer scientist and a professor of information systems at TU Dortmund University.